This invention relates to a screening module. More particularly, the invention relates to a screening module and to a screening assembly including such module.
According to the invention, there is provided a screening module for a screening assembly, the module including
a substantially rectangular, planar screening member having a plurality of screening apertures extending through it, the member having a pair of sides extending parallel to a direction of flow of material over the member and a pair of sides extending transverse to a direction of flow of material over the member;
a mounting means formed integrally with the screening member as a one-piece unit for securing the member to an underlying structure, a part of the mounting means being arranged along each side of the screening member and only the parts of the mounting means associated with one pair of sides having reinforcing with the parts of the mounting means associated with the other pair of sides being without reinforcing; and
a locating means associated with the parts of the mounting means of at least one pair of sides of the screening member for locating the screening member relative to the underlying structure, the locating means projecting beneath an underside of the parts of the mounting means to abut against an associated part of the underlying structure for inhibiting flexing and dislodgement of the module relative to the underlying structure.
As indicated above, the screening panel is substantially rectangular. The shorter sides of the panel may extend in a direction parallel to the direction of flow of screening material over the module, in use. These shorter sides shall be referred to as the longitudinal sides with the longer sides being referred to as the transverse sides.
Preferably, only the longitudinal sides have the reinforcing. The reinforcing may be steel reinforcing.
The locating means is, preferably, associated with the parts of the mounting means having the reinforcing, ie. the longitudinal sides.
The locating means may be arranged operatively inwardly of its associated part of the mounting means, the reinforcing extending into the locating means.
Each part of the mounting means may be in the form of a clip arranged along its associated side of the screening member, the clip defining a receiving slot for receiving a complementary part of the underlying structure. The locating means may be in the form of a shoulder arranged inwardly of the slot of its associated clip and projecting beneath an underside of the clip to abut against the associated part of the underlying structure. The reinforcing may define a pair of spaced, parallel plates, one arranged on each side of the slot. One of the plates may be longer to extend into the shoulder. The plates may be interconnected by a bridging portion arranged in the screening member above the slot, in use. Thus, the reinforcing may straddle the slot of the clip.
The module may be a moulding of a synthetic plastics material. The plastics material may be a polyurethane. The type of polyurethane selected may be of a strength which allows a predetermined amount of flexing of the screening module, in use, to aid in screening of materials.
The invention extends also to a screening assembly which includes:
a plurality of screening modules, each as described above; and
a framework defining a structure underlying the screening modules, the screening modules being removably secured to the framework.
The framework may be a demountable framework. The framework may includes rails to which the screening modules are releasably secured via the mounting means of the modules.